I was right
by Fingolfia
Summary: Does being a knowitall really make you happy? He'd thought being right was the most important thing...until now. And with no yaoi...no, I lie. I lie, very much so. LxRaito. Raito is Light, in case anyone doesn't know.
1. You

Lack of inspiration for my novel has driven me back to fanfics. Hopefully only temporarily, but I felt the need to write something I didn't have to keep thinking about. This si intended to be a longer story, but if it suddenly breaks off (I promise I will try not to, but some of you may know about me and consistence) it's because Harlequin has got his act together, and Tari has stopped being a muffin. (I swear, he's not actually a muffin. It's just an expression. Me and my friends use. I swear. Although, fic where L turns into a muffin…) Yeah, this is just getting random. Seriously, why are you still reading this?

_**Disclaimer: Wooo, the first every disclaimer I've bothered to do. Death Note is not mine, if it was L WOULDN'T DIE SUCH A CRAPPY DEATH! And no one mention the movie, because I didn't like the live-action. Manga forever. Also, Raito and Lwould get together, and then L would tell Raito his name and then it would all be uberly fluffy and you would have no weird blonde kid (murders Near). But my ultimate ambition is to get a book published, so I can put in a disclaimer and say 'I don't need this, because I DO own the book! Mwahahahaha (Seriously, that would be the entire story.)**_

"Yagami-san, is it true Raito-kun has moved out?"

"Yes. He's been asking to for a while, but while he was a suspect I thought it was unwise to let him. But now that we've caught Higuchi, I thought it would be fine."

"I see."

L crept along the corridor of Raito's new apartment. 106, 108, 110. Number 132 had been let out under the name 'Yagami'. Just make it too easy, why don't you, he thought.

The door gave no indication that it was the room belonging to a man who had a 67 chance of being Kira, even in spite of the 13 day rule. L couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Raito _was _Kira. All he needed was evidence

He slid the camera and microphone, both built into a tiny thing piece of wire, under the door, and plugged it into his laptop. It would be a strange sight if anyone came out, a pale man with his knees drawn up to his chin and his black eyes focused on the computer screen as he listened through the headphones, sitting outside an apartment.

There was no one in the room. L wiggled the camera to and fro, to check the corners, but there was definitely no one there. A laptop sat on the single table, facing away from him, but a small blinking LED told L it was on. There was the sound of running water, which stopped abruptly and a few seconds later Raito entered the room, dripping wet and wearing only a towel wrapped around his middle.

L felt a momentary stab of envy. Raito didn't seem to even realise how attractive he was, tall and muscular, unlike L, who was pale from too much time indoors and far too skinny to look strong.

Raito seated himself at the computer, and began to do something. Hurriedly, L began trying to access the computer, and luckily Raito had his broadband connected, making it a million times easier, when it hadn't been exactly difficult to begin with. The encryptions were fairly complex for a home computer, but he'd expected that, and the laptop he'd brought had enough software to break codes far more sophisticated than that. No sooner had he got in than an email bleeped, one Raito had just sent to Misa. Other people might have had second thoughts about a supposed love letter, but L double clicked without the notion crossing his mind.

It was a list of names and photographs. L's heart jumped; there was only one use he could think of for a list of names, and it wasn't Christmas cards.

In a matter of seconds he had the NPA's criminal database open, and checked back at the first name. 'Seguchi Yutaka'. He typed the name in.

'Seguchi Yutaka. Attempted murder, GBA, drug usage and dealing, arson.' Quite a resume. He was registered as in Kyoto jail, serving twenty five years. But when L had hit the refresh button about forty times, it suddenly changed to 'died of heart attack. 28/10/2004'. Kira. During this time Raito had done nothing, turning on the TV and flicking idly through, but this was more than enough proof.

L punched the air, but in his excitement, the headphones were yanked from their socket, and the blare of the TV channel Raito was on, currently a rather explosive western, rang out through the corridor. In a flash L closed the laptop but the damage was done. Raito opened the door and was looking down at him, rather startled.

'What a stupid way to die.' Was the first thing that crossed L's mind.

"Ryuuzaki?" Raito said in surprise. "What are you doing here?" His eyes flicked to the laptop and L could see the thoughts running through across his mind. It would only be a few seconds before he made the connection…

L jumped to his feet and was sprinting down the corridor before Raito could rect. unfortunately, the other boy, despite being dressed in only a towel, was faster than L and it was awkward running while carrying a laptop.

Raito tackled L and knocked him to the floor, sending the laptop flying out of his hands. L kicked backwards, but Raito caught his ankle and yanked L's leg out from under him, sending him toppling. He hit the ground hard, driving the wind from him, and Raito pinned him to the ground within an instant.

"Were you spying?" He whispered in L's ear, though the dangerous tone told L it wasn't really a question. He decided to answer it anyway.

"I'd call it more investigating, really. And now I have proof. You are Kira." There was no point in hiding it; Raito wasn't stupid. His breath was coming in pants, as it was difficult to catch his breath. Raito was heavy, and he was sitting on his back, straddling him.

Raito snorted. "Wrong answer."

"Are you going to kill me?" L said. "You can't kill me with the book, you don't know my name. Are you going to get your hands truly dirty?"

"Really, L, think. I can just bring Misa over. You were right about her too, by the way. Happy?"

L blinked. He'd already thought of Misa, he'd just been unable to think of a better taunt at the time. There weren't really many comebacks to being pinned to the floor of an apartment block by a mass murderer.

"But no, I'm not going to kill you." L frowned in confusion. Surely that was the logical thing to do. After all, he was by far the most dangerous person to Raito at the moment, alive at least.

Raito got off, and L took a few sharp gasps for breath. Suddenly a hand seized the back of his collar and yanked him to his feet. He tried to pull away, but Raito punched him, harder than he ever had in one of their fights, and L realised he must have been holding back while other people were there. With that came the thought that Raito was definitely stronger than him and that was a little scary. Brains of brawn, he reminded himself.

Raito dragged him back to his apartment, and L cringed at how little distance he'd made before he'd been caught. When he'd been pushed inside, Raito moved in as well, and shut the door quickly. Just as he did, L made a lunge while his back was turned, attempting to strike Raito in the base of his neck, but raito turned, caught his hand and flung him onto the floor. As he did, he used his other hadn to catch L in a backhanded blow across the face. L pushed himself up from the carpet, a trickle of blood running from the side of his lip.

"Don't move from there." Raito warned as he turned the key in the lock of the door. He went to a draw, all the time keeping one eye on L, and pulled out a pair of hand cuffs. When he moved to put them on L, the older man snorted.

"A bit unoriginal, eh, Kira-san?"

Raito rolled his eyes. "If it works, don't change it."

He snapped them shut around L's slender wrists, the cold metal making L flinch. It was loose on his wrist, but not so much that he could slip his hand out. Raito gave it a jerk, and L fell forwards onto the carpet with a gasp. When he looked up, Raito had an unreadable expression on his face, which quickly changed to a smirk.

"You're pathetic." He sneered.

"You're pathetic" 

The memory hit L like a wall of water, and while he knew Raito couldn't know about it, it still hurt. But he wouldn't let Kira see it. One of the first lessons he learnt in life: if someone else sees what hurts, they'll exploit it. Don't let them see it.

Raito dragged L into the room next door, and L realised it was Raito's bedroom. There was a bed nad a second TV, but nothing else to say what it was. Complusively tidy would have suited Raito, but not this tidy. It looked so sterile it was inhuman. Raito pushed L to the floor again, and the impact made L's knees sting. Raito clipped the other end of the handcuffs to the bedpost and then left the room hurridly.

L guessed he had gone to get his laptop, as the door out of the apartment opened and closed, then after a brief pause did the same again. After all, it wouldn't be good to leave incriminating information out in a hallway.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiira-san!" L said, in his most irritating voice. "I have no candy!"


	2. Are

OMG, that was what, two chapters in three days, I think? Anyway, it was fast! Love you, all my reviewers! You are the only reason I do fanfiction! Hugs and cookies to everyone who leaves a review. By the way, I have no clue where this fic is going. If anyone has plot ideas, it would be lovely to get them. Otherwise I will just have to struggle through on my own. 

Raito closed the door hurriedly, his breathing rapid and the laptop hot under his arms. When L had first said he knew he was Kira, he'd only felt anger, and only thought of how to remedy the immediate situation. But now his heartbeat was racing and cold sweat drenched his body. He was afraid.

Had L told anyone he was coming here? If he had, Raito was as good as caught. The police would come to see what had happened to their ace detective, and L would tell them everything. An image of an electric chair blazed on Raito's closed lids. Why hadn't Misa remembered his name?

Wait. Misa. Of course. She had the eyes again. There was no reason why she couldn't find out his name again. He moved towards the phone, but just before he dialled Misa's number, he paused. For some reason, it almost felt like cheating. Don't be naïve, he told himself. It's not a game. There are no rules. But he didn't dial.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiira-san! I have no candy!" Raito blinked. That really didn't seem to be the appropriate reaction when you were captured by a mass murderer.

He put the phone back down. He should ask L if he had told anyone he was coming. He went to the room and opened the door.

"Kira-san?" L was leaned against the bedpost, back to his normal sitting position, and looking, apart from a cut on his lip, none the worse for his capture.

Kira-san. For some reason, the name hurt. Still, he supposed he would have to get used to people calling him it. It certainly had more of an impact than Raito. L's dark eyes bore into him.

"I don't have any candy." Raito said roughly. "I wasn't exactly expecting you."

The corner of L's mouth turned up. Raito turned to go, his face flushing at L's apparent unconcern. In his mind, this scene had always had L terrified and grovelling. Why couldn't reality work out that way for once?

"Is the thirteen day rule a fake?" L asked suddenly. Raito paused, then realised there wasn't much of a point keeping anything from him. I mean, how much worse could it get?

"Yes. And the one about damaging the Death Note."

L's eyes gleamed. "So you had a piece of paper, and wrote names on that.

"No. Well, at times, but when we were after Higuichi, I didn't remember owning the Death Note. I gave up ownership, but now I've got it back."

"And no one can stop you, evil laughter, etc, Kira-san?"

Raito snorted, but even to him it sounded bitter, as though he regretted what he' done. He didn't regretted. Of course he didn't regret it. He was going to change the world. Why could L not understand that?

"And of course, Kira-san, there's so little in between you and your goal. Even those who at first condemned Kira are now starting to support you. The Internet is flooded with support, and even publicly, some show support. Yes, no one is in your way…except me."

Raito forced himself to laugh. "You were, you mean. In case you hadn't noticed, you are now my prisoner."

L's face was unreadable, but his tone was sarcastic. "This is just inconvenience, and you know it."

Raito stared at him, then stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. L grinned.

"Think, Raito, think!" Raito punched the wall, wracking his brains. "How can I cover this up?"

He paced up and down the front room, trying to work out what he could do. A police siren rang nearby, and he ran to the window, but it sped right past his apartment. Paranoia, he told himself, trying to calm his breathing.

"Stop it." He said. "Pull yourself together."

"Is Kira-san talking to himself?" L called from the room, and Raito swore. It took all of his self-control not to throw the half dead plant Sayu had given him at the closed door.

After a few minutes, he came up with a plan. He got the phone, and dialled his father's number.

"Hello?"

"Dad? Dad, did Ryuuzaki say where he was going?"

"No…why do you want to know?"

Raito couldn't keep the triumphant smirk from his face. "I just saw him getting on a train! I didn't know what he was doing, and I…"

"He got on a train?" The director asked in confusion. "Well, I'm sure he has his reasoning…"

"Yeah." Raito made a show of calming himself down. "Yeah, you're probably right, Dad. I'm worrying over nothing. See you soon." He put down the phone, to the sound of clapping. He reopened the door, to see L applauding slowly, so each clap somehow sounded sarcastic.

"How can you come up with a plan that good, and yet not think to keep candy?"

Raito scowled. "Not all of us exist solely on candy."

"Not all of us mass murder people under the pretence of creating a better world." His tone was deadly serious as he regarded Raito levelly. Then, as if trying to gauge the reaction it would get, he added "Kira-san."

Again with the new name. Raito paused for a second, unsure how to react, then stalked out of the room, and the apartment, slamming the doors behind him. He needed to get some equipment he needed to set up new security systems.

He got back, carrying several bags from the hardware store, as well as the electronics one. Both were brightly coloured and plastic, and these didn't seem to tie in with the one other bag, a small brown paper one, tucked under one arm.

He set the bags down on the table and stared at the brown paper bag dubiously. Honestly, what had possessed him to make that detour? It was stupid really. He sighed. It wasn't like he was going to eat them, and he'd bought them now.

"Ryuuzaki?" Why did that sound as if he was asking if he was in? The man wasn't going anywhere. "I got you candy."

He'd expected to hear L making a sarcastic comment, but instead there was silence. For some reason, that made Raito suspicious. He knew he would have to deal with L's escape attempts frequently, but he hadn't expected him to start so soon.

He opened the door, and a gasp escaped from his throat at the sight. L had unbuttoned his shirt and was trying to pull it over his arm, no doubt using the shirt's smoothness to ease the handcuff cutting into his wrist as he moved it. Raito choked, and L looked round, his eyes unsurprised. Raito's throat was constricted, rebellious feelings rising up inside. See, the tiny voice in his head said. Don't deny it. But he quashed the voice down again. It was just stupid.

He was unbelievably thin. Each one of his ribs were visible, and his skin was almost glowing, it was so pale. But the worst thing was the end of scars running over his sides and shoulders. With a gasp, Raito grabbed his shoulders and spun him round, the chain clinking, so L was facing away form him. The sight made Raito's heart skip a beat.

L's back was covered in scars, but not random wounds. They were spirals and whorls, twisting round each other and all flying out from what looked like a butterfly, just below his shoulder blades. It was now obvious why l always wore such baggy, concealing sweaters. Anything that left his upper arms or more bare, or anything tight, would have shown up the scars in an instant. They were old, but deep, leaving pinkish lines raised over every inch of skin.

"Like them?" L's voice was very quiet, barely audible. His face was looking down onto the bed where his hands were resting, and he refused to look at the younger man.

"Ryuuzaki…how did you get these?" Raito murmured, too stunned to think straight.

L didn't reply, but Raito heard his breathing hitch. Raito traced one of the deepest scars with one finger, almost as though he was hypnotised. It ran down from the base of L's neck, and Raito knew that a cut there would bleed a lot, and would definitely be painful. But who would want to do this? L had enemies of course, but he'd always been of the impression that no one before had known who L was, except Watari and maybe a few others. And he couldn't imagine anyone who bore a grudge against L letting the detective go alive.

Besides, from the age of these scars, they must have been years and years ago. How old was L? 20? 21? How old had he been when these had been done? Raito's throat tightened.

"Ah, Yagami-kun? If you don't mind, this is a rather…compromising position." L sounded completely unconcerned about his scars, or Raito's reaction, and Raito suddenly realised he was right. L was on his knees, leaning against the bed, and Raito was behind him, one hand on his shoulder. Embarrassed, Raito stepped back quickly.

"Sorry." He muttered. L pushed himself up, and turned around. Now only the edges of the horrendous scars were showing, and Raito found himself able to think slightly clearer, though the memory was still vivid.

"You called me Yagami-kun…" Raito realised suddenly.

"Force of habit." L's eyes were flat like a snake, and Raito believed him, not matter how much a tiny voice shouted that he didn't want to be just Kira-san. But that voice was a fool. What was better than being Kira? What was better than being a god?

What indeed, the voice said slyly, and Raito felt a slight blush rising.

Then he saw the scars again, and felt sickness rising up again. This was the reason he was trying to change the world. So horrific things like that didn't happen.

"Who did those?"

L didn't reply, and Raito got the feeling from his icy composure that there was no way L was going to tell him. One hand rubbed the end of a scar on his arm, and Raito felt anger welling up.

"This is why I wanted to be Kira? Don't you see, Ryuuzaki? I can change the world. I can make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else. No one will torture other people if they know divine justice is coming. No one will…"

"This wasn't torture." L interrupted suddenly.

Raito's rant stopped mid-torrent, stunned. "It's mutilation." L flinched. "If it wasn't torture what was it?"

"It was…it was flying in the rain."


	3. The

Tada, another chapter! It's actually starting to go somewhere, though no one sent me any plot ideas. Also, to the person who asked anonymously 'what does flying in the rain' mean, that's what you're going to find out. I could tell you right now, but then there would be no story. You'll find out a bit about it in this chapter, where we finally get Ryuk. I completely forgot about him!

Oh, and this chapter goes a bit into some specific things. I had to do so much research into the butterfly thing, as while I love them, I don't know a lot. However, the coding thing is one of my saddest passions (Alan Turing is one of my two heroes, and don't worry if you don't know who he is, because no one does, even though he is one of the greatest heroes of the twentieth century) and I haven't really explained a couple of terms. Don't worry about it; it's not really important.

**Love you, reviewers, as I've already told you. Please leave me reviews, it makes me feel special.**

After that unusual statement, L clammed up and refused to say any more. He huddled over, eyes not seeing Raito, though they were open. Raito tried for a few minutes, asking him what the hell he meant, but he might have been talking to a brick wall.

He walked out, but with none of the anger that had graced his former exits. Somehow, L seemed more…human, now. He wasn't a super person, lurking behind a computer screen. He could bleed.

And it wasn't like you didn't enjoy seeing his vulnerability, something treacherous said.

"Only because it proves I can beat him." Raito muttered, keeping his voice low so L wouldn't hear him. "It has nothing to do with anything else.

And now you're talking to yourself. He's really gotten to you.

Raito scowled at himself, and seated himself at the computer table, opening his laptop and pulling up a website where criminals were listed, called 'Support Kira's Justice.' It was a convenient way for him to go around using the police database, and it also showed him the support he had. He chuckled, a little of Kira's humour coming back.

"True, L, justice will prevail."

He found four names that he felt had committed crimes evil enough to be included in his list. He was only a quarter of the way through the list though, and for some reason he wasn't enjoying it. Usually making the world a better place was an enjoyable experience. Just think of all the victims you will save.

But before he'd even realised he was doing it, he'd opened another screen on the Internet, and already typed five letters into google. Yes, even mass murderers sometimes have a use for google.

B

U

T

T

E

He froze. Unbidden, the image of L's back appeared, the butterfly made of scars, at the centre of a curling mass of them. Raito could feel the sensation of running his fingers over it, each ridge marring the smooth skin. The thought made the tips of his fingers burn.

The mouse hovered over bringing back the Kira's Justice website. It was stupid. Why did he care what had happened to his nemesis? But for some reason, he couldn't make himself click on it. Instead, he finished typing 'butterfly'.

The website he found was the official one of some butterfly society. Why the hell would you want to belong to one of those, Raito wondered. How pointless.

One of the pages at the side read 'General Information', and as nothing in the world could have persuaded him to look on 'How to make your home butterfly-friendly' he clicked on it.

'Butterflies are insects of the order Lepidoptera. Papilionoidea…' and so on, most of it of no interest to Raito whatsoever. There was one sentence, about two-thirds of the way in, that caught his attention.

'Butterflies have very fine wings, and as such, they cannot fly in the rain, especially if it is heavy. It destroys the frail membrane, and the butterflies will fall and die.'

Raito pushed the chair away from the computer, now thoroughly confused. What did this mean?

Why do I care?

Because you like him.

Where had that come from? Since when had he found L attractive?

I don't, he reminded himself. But he couldn't help thinking of it.

There was no point even thinking of it. There was no way his feelings – the one's which so weren't there- would be returned. L had been all to clear about his opinion of Kira. Kira was evil, and his actions unforgivable. L was one of the ones standing in the way of his brand new world.

L had to die.

Raito leaned back in the chair, repeating this resolve to himself. He had sworn to change the world, and that anyone who got in the way had to die. There was nothing more important than this goal. Nothing.

As his gaze wandered absentmindedly, it suddenly fell on something, and Raito cursed himself for such a stupid oversight. L's laptop. It would have so much information, information he could use to great advantage. And he'd forgotten about it.

He opened it, and to his surprise, found it was still on. L obviously hadn't had time to turn it off when he tried to escape. He moved his finger over the touch screen, and the black screensaver vanished.

His background was a butterfly. It was red, but with spectacular spots on its wings, the top two red and the bottom two blue. In the same gothic font as L did his letter in, it read 'Peacock butterfly'.

Raito stared at it for a couple of seconds. He'd never even heard L mention butterflies before, and now they seemed to be appearing everywhere. What the hell did it mean?

Shaking his head to clear the confusion, he opened up the documents.

"You are so paranoid." He said, when he found that, unlike everyone else in the world, who name their documents to find them easily, L had titled every single one with some code of letters and numbers. It wasn't any code Raito had ever seen before, and while he would try and break it, he had a sinking suspicion that it wouldn't be one he could decipher.

He tried to open one, but it asked for a password, and Raito cursed. Still, had he really expected anything less? It could hardly even be called paranoia, when you were the world's top three detectives, and being hunted by Kira.

All of the files he checked demanded a password, and he shoved the laptop away in disgust. Even the emails needed one to even get into the program.

But he couldn't give up. He was top of the school league, and he hadn't got where he was by giving up at the first difficulty. He'd got through L's other tricks; this was just another one to crack.

He linked his laptop to the computer, and sent some of the document names into a database program he'd designed himself, which had the useful added feature that if it had enough of a code inputted, it could decipher it, usually. It wasn't good enough for something like RSA, but hopefully L wouldn't have used something quite that complex. It would certainly slow L down when he wanted to find a file himself.

However, it was going to take a while. Even a simple monoalphabetic code would take it ten minutes, and Raito could work them out faster than that. But for ones like this, it was the only option.

He stood up, having started the program, to find Ryuk right behind him. The sight made him jump.

"Hey, Raito."

"Ryuk? What are you doing here? I thought you were keeping an eye on the investigation team?" Raito couldn't keep the annoyance from his voice, at being crept up on like that.

"They're not doing anything, just wondering where L has got to. And now I find that he'd chained in your bedroom."

Raito flushed. "You make it sound so sordid. It's nothing like that."

Ryuk raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Raito snapped, his composure slipping.

"You only get stressed like that when something's badly wrong." Ryuk commented. "I think you're…"

"If you're not going to be helpful, go away." Raito went back to looking at his screen, even though he knew it was pointless. There was no way any of what he said was true. Him finding L attractive? That was just ridiculous.

**Important: I have two plot ideas, and I'd like you to tell me which one you'd rather have. This doesn't mean I don't want people to send me ideas; they're only rough and still being developed. But would you guys prefer if I wrote a more fantasy based one (lots of Shinigami and other strange beings) or keep it to a human plot. I need to decide soon, and I don't know!**


	4. Only

Well, there was an almost unanimous move towards human plot, which I'm kinda glad of. I always want to write fantasy, even when I know I'll get a better plot if I don't, and you guys need to slap my wrists if I start slipping. However, the human plot gets to the lemons faster Added incentive to write that one. People have been asking when they'll happen, I swear, they're not too far off, but for once, I'm not sacrificing plot for smut. Read and review, you know the drill. I am writing this story faster than any other, partially because I don't want to be writing two stories at once when I get my original story going again, and partially because I am getting more reviews than I ever have before. Hugs and magical cookies!

L tried for a few more minutes after Raito had left to pull the handcuffs over the smooth shirt, but it wasn't working. Raito must have known it wouldn't work, which was why he had left it. With a sigh, he pulled his shirt back on.

For some reason, he felt dirty. The look on Raito's face when he saw the scars; it was so full of disgust and loathing. He shivered, and rubbed the back of his neck, where he could feel the scars.

"You're pathetic" 

Why were the memories starting to come back now? He'd tried so hard to forget them. It wasn't like the scars had vanished while he'd been ignoring them.

"You're pathetic" 

"I'm not." He muttered, even though the person couldn't hear him. He wasn't pathetic. He'd spent the last eleven years proving that to himself.

He pressed his fingers onto the scar harder, as though he was trying to erase it from his skin. He wished it was like a computer. Just click delete and it's like it was never there.

My entire past. Delete. Problem solved.

"_You're pathetic."_

He closed his eyes. This wasn't helping. Goddamnit, this really wasn't helping. He was trapped by a very probably insane mass murderer, and he was going through problematic flashbacks like he was on Jerry Springer.

So now it was time to think. That had always been the way he escaped the pain before, by burying himself in a problem until that was all he thought about. At least this one would keep him occupied.

He needed a way to get the handcuffs off. He'd already tried pulling them, and although the bed frame was old, it was solid and didn't budge, even when he pulled as hard as he could. But then, there was no way Raito would do something so blindingly obvious as chain him to a weak frame. It was amazing how many people in movies did that.

He chewed his thumbnail, eyes flicking around the room. Raito was so irritatingly tidy. There wasn't anything nearby that could be used as a lock pick.

The desk was on the other side of the room. It didn't even have a sheet of paper on it; everything was filed away in boxes. Not that a sheet of paper would have helped him escape, but it was a stark contrast to his desk, where Watari had once comment that he wasn't sure if all of it was paper or if L had discovered a way of stopping snow from melting.

However, there was a stapler, seated in order of height in between the sellotape and the hole puncher. L surveyed it, a faint smile on his lips as he bit his thumb.

Unfortunately the desk was nearly two metres away, and there was no way L could reach that far while chained to the bed.

He looked down at his sweater and sighed. It was a nice one, and kept him warm. But he had more at the hotel, and he could get them when he was free.

He tore the sweater along the sleeve. At least only the left sleeve was damaged. He could take the rest off normally, as only that arm was chained. The shirt sure was becoming involved in his escape attempts.

He flicked the white material around the table leg, but it fell short and no matter how much he strained, he couldn't reach the end. The scars twinged, each one with its own set of pins and needles, and the handcuff cut brutally into his skin.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, he pulled the cloth back and tried again. Once more, it fell a few inches short of his reach.

Then L realised how he could catch it. Keeping hold of the first end, he turned around and kicked out his leg towards the end. If he'd been wearing shoes or socks, this would have been impossible, but luckily he'd always hated the things.

It was still just out of reach, his toes almost brushing it, but not close enough to bring it towards him.

"_You're pathetic. Can't even do that."_

L ignored the critical memory, and gritting his teeth, stretched as far as he could. The cold metal bit deeper and each of the silvered pink marks cried out in protest. But his toes caught over the end of the material, and with a triumphant grin, he pulled it closer and grabbed it with his hand.

Now the material was looped around the desk leg, one end in each hand, like a rope for him to pull on. He smiled.

"Don't underestimate me, Kira-san." He hissed and gave a sharp tug on the desk. It moved, but the leg grated on the wooden floor. L stopped pulling instantly and listened intently. Raito didn't appear to have heard, and L could hear the quiet hum of the laptop, so presumably Raito was engrossed in finding new victims.

He began to haul again, more cautiously this time. He would have preferred a method that was easier to conceal, as Raito was bound to be suspicious if he came in and found his desk had somehow moved across his bedroom floor. But there was no other way he could see, so he would just have to be quick.

The desk was now close enough and he reached out and grabbed the stapler. It would have been easier if he'd had a paperclip, but there wasn't one, and there was no point wasting time looking for one when a staple would suffice.

Quick as a flash, he had the stapler open and prised a staple from the pack. Straightening it against the pad of his thumb, he inserted it into the keyhole.

It really wasn't long enough for this job, but he kept jiggling it to and fro until he felt something catch. It was a good thing he'd studied methods like this. Know your enemy had always been a philosophy he'd admired, partially because your enemies often know very useful things.

He pushed the staple in deeper and heard a click. He gave the handcuffs a yank, but they stayed put. He frowned. Surely the click had been the mechanism unlocking…

He looked up and realised that he was wrong. It had been the door opening.

Raito looked at him, first in confusion, then realisation struck and his face turned to anger.

"What the hell, Ryuuzaki? Not only do you try a feeble escape attempt, but you mess up my room in the process?"

L snorted. "Kira-san makes it sound as though I'm unjustified in doing that."

Raito marched over and bent down. "You're far too insolent, you know that, Ryuuzaki?"

L smirked. "I haven't even got started yet, Kira-san." He emphasized the last word, seeing how much of an affect it had made last time.

Raito stared at him for a second, then back-handed him across the face. L fell sideways, caught by surprise, and his head hit the bedpost, making stars explode before his eyes.

He paused for a couple of seconds, letting himself readjust, then pulled a face. "It's not thought of as sporting to hit someone when they're chained up."

"It's not thought of as a good idea to taunt someone who has your life in their hands." Raito said hoarsely. L gave a curt nod, but his eyes remained defiant. Raito was so close, he could feel the heat radiating from the boy's body.

Raito was shaking, L realised with a start. His eyes widened in confusion. Why was Raito trembling, when he was the one who held all the power at the moment?

And then suddenly Raito leaned forward and kissed L, hard on the mouth. For a couple of seconds, L couldn't work out what was happening. Raito was…kissing him? What the hell? This wasn't logical. God, this was as far from logical as you could get.

He was being kissed by Raito.

He was being kissed by Kira.

He was being kissed by Raito.

Raito…

Raito's tongue pressed against his lips, and the world came crashing down. L suddenly realised what was happening.

"Nngghhmm!" He shoved against Raito's chest, trying to push the younger man off. Raito put his arms around him tightly, pressing L to him, so even though L struggled, he couldn't pull free.

Raito's fingers traced over the scars on his back, pressing lightly against them. It felt so familiar, L felt himself relaxing. But then he remembered it was Kira.

He shoved Raito harder, and jerked his head to one side. Raito leaned forward again, trying to resume the kiss, but L kept his face turned away, and Raito was forced to stop.

"Get off." L gasped.

Raito stroked the side of his face, tangling his hand in one of the silky black locks.

"No." He said, and slowly ran his tongue along the side of L's face, making the detective shudder, though he wasn't sure from what.

"I was pretending I didn't like you, but I do, Ryuuzaki." Raito murmured. "And I don't want to lie to myself or you. I want you, I want you so badly."

L's breathing became faster, fear flooding him. "S…stop." Get hold of yourself, he told himself, but he couldn't stop himself panicking. "Please…"

Raito kissed L's neck, nuzzling it. "I don't want to stop." He murmured, his hand stroking down L's back. He could feel the scars, and they felt rough under his fingers, unlike the rest of L's skin, which was smooth and delectable.

"Please, stop, Kira-san. Please." L couldn't stop his voice sounding like he was begging. There were tears pricking the edge of his eyes, and his limbs wouldn't obey him. He wanted to struggle, he needed to struggle, but he was frozen.

"I told you, I don't want to stop." Raito repeated. "I want to have you, Ryuuzaki. I want to have you right now."

He moved his hand lower, to the top of L's trousers. The sensation jerked L out of his paralysis, and he punched Raito in the face. Raito fell to one side, and L shuffled backwards, eyes wide.

"Leave me alone!" He exclaimed, pulling his knees up to his chest and putting his arms around them. "Please, Kira-san, just stop."

Raito paused. "Stop calling me Kira-san."

"Will you stop if I do?" L asked. He knew he was giving way far too easily, but he couldn't help the terror that was surging through him. Raito's eyes were dark with lust, and it was scary.

Raito looked at him. He could see how scared L was, and it confused him. No one reacted that way to one kiss. No one. Although a scene with L cowering before him had appealed before, for some reason he didn't want to see it any more. He wanted L to…to…

To love him back.

"I can't promise that I'll stop entirely. But for the moment…OK."

L regarded him with suspicion, his dark eyes wary, like an animal in a trap.

"I won't try anything." Raito raised his hands in surrender.

There was a lengthy pause. L blinked several times, and Raito saw the shaking in his limbs recede a little.

"How can I trust you?" He said, though it had none of the former hostility.

"Because I love you." Raito moved forward a step, but L jerked backwards, and Raito stopped, then moved back.

A tiny smile returned to L's face. "That's cheesy."

"So?"

L flushed, looking down. Raito looked as though he wanted to shift closer, but thought better of it.

"I would never have thought that Kira-san would be one to make banal comments."

"The deal was that you didn't call me that."

"Sorry, Yagami-san."

Raito shook his head. "Call me Raito, Ryuuzaki, please."

Suddenly all of the warmth left L's face. "Don't think this changes anything. You are still Kira. I'm not fool enough to think you're going to stop because of this, and you shouldn't believe that my calling you Yagami-san means you are forgiven. You are a criminal, and one way or another, I will bring you to justice."

Raito's face contorted in anger. "Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?"

L shrank back a little, but then pulled himself back together. He wasn't going to fall apart, not a second time. "Just making sure you're aware of the situation."

Raito stood where he was, and the look on his face made L's throat tight. Raito stalked over, and L shrank back, thinking that Raito was about to attack him, but Raito simply snatched up the staple and pushed the desk to the very furthest corner of the room. Then he stormed out of the room.

L sagged against the wall, his hands trembling. He pressed one finger to his lips. "Raito…" he whispered.

**Finally, something happened. Sorry if the chapter was a bit messed up, I promise the next one will be better.**

Random Parody

"Ryuuzaki, how did my desk get there?" Raito asked in confusion.

"Um, um, um" Oh great, the three best detectives in the world and I can't come up with an excuse. "It was the desk pixies." Ah-ha, he'll never suspect anything…

OK, that was odd. My brain comes up with interesting ideas.


	5. One

**OK, this chapter is so not good enough for the long wait. I'm really not sure about it; tell me what I need to improve on, because I know there's something wrong.**

**It was supposed to be longer, but I thought I'd let it long enough. The ending bit can be on the next chapter. I realised it was half the length again of my other chapters. And as for my excuse for its lateness, I do have a good one. I am writing a script to be performed at Watford Palace Theatre in just over a month, and I haven't finished it. I should be doing it now, but I need a break. And if any of you live in the nearby area (unlikely, I know) come and see Writing to be Heard, you'll make me happy!**

Raito slammed the door behind him and leaned against it, his face like thunder, but inside he felt panicky, under the anger.

"So what happened to 'I don't want to get into L's p…"

"SHUT UP!" Raito yelled. He sagged against the wooden door, and covered his face in his hands. "This really hasn't gone according to plan."

Ryuk snorted. "Humans are so funny."

"Oh, stop it."

"Why did you kiss him anyway?" Ryuk asked.

"I don't know." Raito moaned. The thoughts going through his mind made no sense, no sense at all. The reasons that kept going round and round were how soft L's skin was, how hot he felt under Raito's fingers, how he made Raito shiver and burn at the same time.

"Can't help you." Ryuk said. "Love is a human thing."

Raito rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to ask anyway."

Ryuk's ugly face twisted into a smile. "Well, you could…"

The look on Raito's face stopped him.

Ryuk had been pushed out of the house after he'd tried to explain his plan for Raito getting his feeling, which involved something done to unsuitable horses and dogs. Raito had put up with it for about thirty seconds, and then he'd snapped.

So now he was slumped on the couch, rubbing his hands together nervously.

Why had he kissed L?

Teenage hormones?

That definitely wasn't it. There were numerous people who would love to be kissed by him, and weren't nearly as dangerous as a detective who wanted to see him on the electric chair.

So it was…

Having a very hot guy chained in his bedroom?

No, that didn't work, for the reason above. L would let him die, would make it happen. There was no way mere attractiveness would make Raito lose his mind that much.

And since when had he admitted that L was hot?

L wasn't hot. Raito was no stranger to homosexual relationships, and L wasn't his type. God, he couldn't imagine someone who L would be their type. He was hunched, wiry, spent too much time inside, had weird eyes, was self-centred and paranoid, and showed no interest in a relationship with anyone.

And so the answer kept on eluding him.

'Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, not matter how improbable, must be the truth.'

So could it be true that he…

That he…

Loved L?

And how ironic was it that the phrase had been said by the most famous fictional detective of all time.

Raito spent the next two hours struggling to find an answer to his problems, while he moved around the room, installing the new security software and altering other things that he had planned to make his apartment impossible to escape from.

And during that time, he decided that he would react to this situation the same way he reacted to everything else. Kira didn't give in. Kira didn't stop just because some investigator who was fairly good told him to.

Love and hate were the two sides of the same coin.

It didn't mean he had to force L to do anything. No, he would treat him like he treated the world as Kira. Slowly introducing them to new concepts, until they accepted him.

His heart began to beat faster. He wanted L, badly.

It was only when it started to get dark that he realised he hadn't eaten since lunchtime. He moved into the kitchen and pulled various things out of the fridge, examining them. He eventually decided to put two potatoes in the microwave and some baked beans on the hob. He'd never seen L eat anything at sweets, so he wasn't sure what the man would like, but there wasn't much that could go wrong with a jacket potato, baked beans and some cheese.

He grated a slab of cheese onto two plates and quickly took the potatoes out of the microwave, almost burning his fingers as he dropped them next to the cheese. Then he spooned the beans out and lifted L's plate in one hand, while picking up his own with the other.

Opening the door with some difficulty, he had second thoughts as he walked through the living room. Would he seem too friendly? What if L turned the food away? He'd look foolish.

But L was bound to be hungry; he couldn't have eaten anything in hours. Just before he opened the door to the bedroom, he spotted the small brown bag and scooped it onto the plate.

"Ryuuzaki?" He said, opening the door with his foot. L looked up, and Raito noticed that he had his arms tightly round him. "Are you alright?"

L nodded, and his eyes widened as he saw the plates of food. "Yagami-san?"

"I made dinner." Raito said, setting it down in front of him. "It's nothing special, but I thought you'd be hungry." He nodded to the brown bag. "There's some sweets, if you want them."

L's confusion registered on his face.

"It's not like I'm going to starve you. Don't look so surprised." Raito muttered, staring at his plate. He picked up his knife and fork and began to eat. When he glanced up, L was still surveying him with uncertainty, and Raito saw he was shivering slightly.

"You don't have to be that afraid." He said. "I'm not going to do anything right now. I'd hardly bother to make you dinner if I was going to kill you straight after."

The corners of L's mouth turned up, but there was no other reaction. "I'm not."

"Are you cold then? You're shaking."

"A little." He still wasn't wearing a shirt, obviously, and it wasn't warm. Raito went to his draws and rooted through until he found a shirt that was slightly too small for him, but would still be too big for L. However, it was the best fit he had and he opened it out, revealing that it was the humorous one Sayu had brought him as well as the plant, which read 'I'm with stupid' and a large arrow under it, to point to however was next to the wearer.

This drew a slight chuckle from L. Raito almost started. "That was the first time I've heard you laugh."

"I can hardly put it on. I'm still chained up."

Raito's face turned from surprised to suspicious. L registered the expression, but didn't say anything. For a moment, Raito's natural scepticism almost made him put the T-shirt away. The risk of L escaping was way too high if he unchained him. But he could see that L was still shivering, and he lifted the chain from around his neck and put it in the lock.

When it clicked, L's face switched to triumphant for a second and Raito tensed his muscles, ready to hit him if he made a break for it, but the detective just took the shirt and pulled it on.

"Give me your arm." Raito said, lifting up the chain. Defiance sparked in the black eyes, and there was a lengthy pause. There was no way L was going to just let Raito put the chain back on. That would be the same for him as giving into Kira, Raito was sure of it. He prepared himself to fight.

But then L held out his arm, slightly reluctantly, and Raito snapped the chain back on. The defiance was still there, but it was submerged in a pool of nothing. No emotions showed.

"Your food'll get cold."

L picked up the brown bag, ignoring the plate and took out a sweet. Raito leaned across and plucked the bag from his hand, letting their hands brush for a moment of electricity. L's hand quivered and Raito lifted it from between his fingers.

"Healthy food first." He told him.

L scowled, but picked up the knife and fork and began to eat with them, though slightly awkwardly, as though he was unused to using them.

"Not exactly the Internet image of Kira." L commented. "Eating jacket potato in a bedroom."

"Not exactly the image of the great L." Raito shot back.

There was another silence.

"So what makes a perfect honours student become the most wanted homicidal maniac in the world." L asked, with no more concern than commenting on the weather, while putting a mouthful of potato in his mouth.

Raito choked. "You have a funny idea of polite mealtime conversation."

"This isn't a polite mealtime."

"You don't stop, do you? This is just another phase of your investigation."

L's eyes were like a snake's; flat and unemotional. "I don't think you quite understand our situation, Yagami-san. Just because I have stopped calling you Kira-san doesn't suddenly make you innocent, and I am still being kept here against my will. As far as I am concerned, this is just another, albeit more difficult, step in bringing you to justice."

The food sat cooling beside the table where Raito had left it. L's plate had hardly been touched either, but the bag of sweets was empty.

L sat hunched on the floor, one thumb in his mouth and his knees tight to his chest. While the t-shirt was warmer, it didn't stave off all of the cold, and he wasn't going to complain to Raito that his hospitality was lacking. Not after that last argument.

For some reason his brain wasn't working. Why did it keep replaying the scene in his mind? He needed to think of a way out of here. He was going to die if Raito called the second Kira, almost certainly Amane-san. For all he knew, Raito was doing that right now.

But all he could think of was the hurt in Raito's eyes when he told him he only wanted to arrest him.

For all that he was Kira, the boy was still young. He still had the illusions about the world being truly black and white, thought that somehow everything would work itself out. Of course, Raito would never admit that, even to himself, but it was obvious to L.

Maybe he didn't deserve capital punishment.

Where had that thought come from? L was shocked at himself. The only way to survive in a grey world was to draw a line at the dark shade you wouldn't go past, and L's was the law. Simple as that. Anything else left too many questions.

Raito had broken the law; therefore he had to suffer the punishment. It was the only answer.

And yet…

The sun had fully set when Raito returned, his face steely. He just popped his head in.

"Ryuuzaki, do you want to use the bathroom?"

L's face was suspicious.

"Not if you're guarding me." L said bluntly.

"You were chained to me twenty-four seven during the other time." Raito pointed out.

"The circumstances were different." L turned his back on Raito.

Raito sighed. "It's alright. I changed the bolt on the door, so it's on the outside instead of inside. I can lock you in, and then you give a shout when you want to come out."

L regarded him cautiously, and then nodded. Raito undid the handcuffs.

"There's no point in running." He warned as he did so. "The apartment is locked."

"Wouldn't dream of it." L quipped. Raito didn't laugh.

There were already towels hung on the rack, and L stepped into the shower, casting his clothes to one side and starting the water. He turned the temperature up so hot it was almost scalding and so steam billowed out from it as he stood under the jet of water.

He kept one eye on the door, more out of habit than any real worry that Raito would come in, but there was still that to think about as well. About how Raito…felt about him.

His skin had gone from its normal pale to slightly flushed under the hot water, making the scars stand out even more.

That's what happens when you let yourself get close to someone, he reminded himself.

And that one wasn't even a mass murderer bent on killing you so he can continue his reign of terror. This was the most appalling case of Stockholm syndrome he had ever heard of.

But wait. Stockholm syndrome was when a prisoner fell in love with their captor, and that hadn't happened…

For the first time in his life, L's brain hurt from thinking something over too much. He thumped the wall with one fist, biting his lip.

"Ryuuzaki?" He heard Raito call over the sound of the water. "Is everything OK?"

"Never been better!" He said back, and heard Raito make an irritated noise.

He felt his legs give under him and he slipped down the side of the wet shower, crouching on the floor. Each water droplet hit the old scars like dripping blood.

"Never better." He whispered to himself, as he felt himself starting to shake again.

He was like that for at least five minutes, until he heard Raito moving in the other room. Not wanting him to come and check if he was alright, he quickly switched the shower off and pulled a towel round him. He dried himself and was pulling on his clothes when Raito knocked.

"Are you decent, Ryuuzaki?"

"One second." L pulled the t-shirt on. "Yes."

Raito opened the door. "Done?"

L nodded, and Raito opened the door for him to go through, though L noticed how tense his muscles were. While Raito might look like he wasn't worried about L making an escape attempt, his body language told the real story.

He put a hand on L's shoulder, which was damp from his hair, and L flinched slightly. Raito looked as though he was about to draw back, but then thought better of it and pushed him on, back into the room and clipped the chain back on his wrist.

"Why do you hate me?" Raito murmured.

"Because you're a murderer who's broken the law." L replied, almost automatically.

"And you want to send me to the electric chair." Raito replied. "You want to murder me, for all that you wouldn't have the blood on your hands personally."

L shrugged. "I don't make the law."

"I am going to." Raito said. "And even then, I won't hate you, Ryuuzaki. Think about it." He stood up to go. "You will be mine."


	6. I

**Warning: Fluff + Angst. Was debating putting in lemons, but thought the plot would work better without. Sorry to those of you who are waiting for them, they are coming soon! Also, possible OOCness. Even I think this is OOC, and I am like the queen of OOC. No, Princess, my friend is worse. But she doesn't read death note, so she won't find this. Mwahahaha.**

Attention: Beta readers wanted! Original work, fantasy, on-going, non-yaoi. If interested, leave a message in your review, or email me.

L had expected Raito not to return after that outburst; he had rather hoped he wouldn't. But maybe five minutes later he heard the scrape of furniture being moved, and then the door opened, and Raito dragged the faded cream couch into the room.

Seeing L's dubious expression, he said, "If you think I am giving you an entire night to escape in, you aren't as good at reading people as I thought."

L looked even more alarmed, and with a sigh, he added, "I'm not going to try anything. That's why I have the couch, see? You sleep on the bed, though still chained up, and I stay over here."

Though still apprehensive, L moved onto the bed, one eye fixed firmly on Raito.

"Mass murderer." He reminded himself. "Stay awake."

But the bed was soft and comfy, much more than the chair he usually haunted at night. In fact, L couldn't remember the last time he'd slept in a bed this cosy.

He lasted maybe an hour, but he heard Raito start to snore and he relaxed. The last thought he remembered thinking was 'falling asleep would be a really stupid thing to do.

Raito was woken by a terrified scream. The numbers on the digital alarm clock read 2:43, and the bed on the other side of the room was groaning under L's trashing limbs, coupled with his agonised moans.

Raito leapt up, only to find that L was still asleep, his eyes tight shut and his face drenched in sweat. His breathing was fast and shallow, and as Raito got closer, he narrowly missed being kicked by one flailing leg.

He was saying something, and it took Raito a few seconds to work out that it was English. Luckily, his English was reasonable, and he could translate most of the words.

"Ina…" L was gasping, as he writhed in the nightmare. Raito had no idea what that meant, but L kept repeating it. "Hurts, Ina… Please, Ina, stop." L let out a whimper of pain, as though someone was physically tormenting him.

Raito couldn't stand it. Whatever problems he had with the detective, it just didn't seem human to let him suffer like this. He grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Ina-sama…" L almost sobbed, and it was then Raito guessed that Ina must be a name. "No, no, I swear I…"

Raito shook him hard, spilling his messy black hair over the pillow. The chains rattled and L's eyes snapped open. He was still panting, and in instant panic, tried to break free of Raito's grip. It was almost like earlier, but now it was more animalistic, so much more primitive than L ever was when he was thinking. Raito had never seen him even come close to breaking down like this before.

Raito tried to push L down, holding him against the mattress to stop his struggles. L bit him, hard on the hand.

Startled, Raito let go with a cry of pain, and L was up in a flash. He lunged for Raito, but the chain around his wrist pulled him up short. He looked at it, and then light appeared in his dark eyes and he sat down hard on the bed.

"Raito-kun?" He said in a shaky voice.

"Who did you think it was?" Raito asked, staring at the world's best detective, who had wrapped his arms around himself and was trembling.

"I…" For a moment, Raito thought he was going to tell him, but then L shook his head. The silky locks flicked from side to side, and Raito's stomach tightened. "Doesn't matter."

"Ryuuzaki, I have never seen you lose control like that. I've never seen you come close. You were having a nightmare…"

"Did I say anything?" L said, suddenly alert.

"Ah…no." Raito lied. "You just sounded distressed."

A spark of anger returned to L's eyes, though it was still swamped with fear and pain. "You make it sound so caring, Yagami-san, but we are still enemies."

"You called me Raito-kun a moment ago." Raito said. " I prefer…"

"I don't give a damn what you prefer." L attempted to snap, but it came out sounding weak. "Just leave me alone."

He lay back down on the bed and turned away from Raito pulling the dishevelled covers back over him.

Raito paused for a second. Really, what he should do now was go back to the sofa and leave it until morning. But he didn't want to do that. Even through the covers, he could see L's slim form trembling, and he wanted nothing more than to comfort him.

He moved over and lay down on the bed beside L, putting one arm around the quivering detective. L stiffened, his voice becoming edgy.

"You said you wouldn't try anything." He tried to pull away, but Raito held on tight.

"I'm not trying anything." Raito murmured in his ear. "It's just a hug."

L made a half-strangled noise that could have been a laugh. "You have a funny definition of not trying anything."

But he couldn't deny it felt good. Raito was solid and warm, like a rock that he could lean against in an uncertain world. There was a small child in him that wanted to hold on and never let go, because what felt safe had to be safe. But he'd spent all his life learning that it was never true, and how good an example was this? A mass-murderer, safe. Especially one bent on killing him, though that included several of the mass-murdering kind, not just Raito.

And if there was a fantastic example of badly concealed ulterior motives, this one also took that prize. L was under no illusions that Raito 'wasn't trying anything.'

Raito ran a hand through his hair, and L began to shake even more violently, his muscles tightening, ready to try and escape. It didn't matter that there was nowhere to run to; it was the urge that was overpowering.

As if sensing it, and he must have done, because the sheet wasn't that thick, Raito stopped and moved his hand away. But he really wanted to continue. L's hair was so soft and smooth, stroking it was addictive. Being with L was addictive, like a drug that could hook you on just the sight, no taste required.

God.

That had just sent the wrong set of thought through his head.

Unbidden, he could feel himself becoming aroused, and from the way L began to shudder, he could tell the older man did too.

L began to try to pull away, but Raito tightened his grip around L's waist.

"Don't" Raito whispered. "I swear, Ryuuzaki, I won't"

A half-strangled noise emerged from L's mouth. Though muffled by the sheets, it sounded like a laugh

"Oh, God, Ryuuzaki, it's not that I don't want you…"

"I can see that." L interrupted dryly.

"Well, it's true. But I don't just want you body. I mean, you're…"

"Ugly."

"No." Raito replied." Just…different. Oh, this is coming out wrong. What I mean is, I want you to…well, to love me."

There was no response from L.

"I know you hate me. I know you want me dead." Raito continued, the words tumbling suddenly out of his mouth. "But I want to win you round."

"You're Kira." L said simply, and Raito felt his heart sink.

"Yes." He swallowed.

"You murder innocent people."

"Not innocent, Ryuuzaki. I'm trying to…"

"Raye Pember? Naomi? They were only doing their jobs."

"They stood in my way."

"As do I!" L's voice was dangerously angry, more so than Raito had ever heard before. "Will you kill me too?"

There was a long pause.

"I'm not…excusing my actions." Raito said slowly.

"Good."

"It's just…" Raito was lost for words. L lay there, anger coursing through him, when Raito began o stroke his hair.

"I want to stop the nightmares, whatever they were." He murmured. L's hair was silky under his fingers, far more so than he would have expected from its spiky appearance. L tried to pull away again, but Raito held on, and then he began to sing.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word,  
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

If that mockingbird don't sing,  
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

If that diamond ring turns to brass,   
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.

If that looking glass gets broke,  
Mama's gonna buy you a billy-goat.

If that billy-goat won't pull,  
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull. 

If that cart and bull turns over,  
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

If that dog named Rover won't bark,  
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart.

If that horse and cart falls down,  
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

While he had sung, L had slowly relaxed against him, like a doll. When he finished, L stirred slightly, as if waking from sleep.

"Where did you learn English nursery rhymes?" He said gently.

"In school. I don't really understand it…"

"It's nonsense anyway." L said, there words dismissive but the tone strangely soothed.

"But I knew you were English, and so I…" Raito suddenly cursed himself. The only reason he had guessed L was English was because he had spoken in English in his dream, and he had said that L hadn't spoken in his sleep.

Luckily, L hadn't noticed for some reason. He seemed drowsy, for the first time since Raito had met him. Raito would never have imagined a lullaby would have had this affect on him.

After a few minutes he murmured, "Ryuuzaki?"

He didn't answer. He's fallen asleep in Raito's arms. With a slightly smile, Raito let himself doze off as well.

Sorry for the long wait! I am too lazy…I mean, I had writers block…yes, that's it…of course.


End file.
